Province warns of collisions in intersections as it prepares to remove many cameras this spring

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on January 15, 2025.

On Tuesday the province released a statement reminding drivers to slow down and proceed carefully through intersections as statistics show one in four collisions on Alberta roads occurs at an intersection, “resulting in far too many injuries and deaths, as well as millions of dollars in damages each year.”

However, despite the safety message, which includes intersection safety tips for motorists provided Tuesday, the province still plans to eliminate more than 70 per cent of current photo radar sites by April 1.

Earlier in December Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen called them a cash cow and announced the province’s plan to eliminate photo radars on Alberta roads and highways with the expectation of school and playground zones and construction zones.

The announcement was met with harsh criticism from many Alberta police chiefs, including Medicine Hat chief Alan Murphy.

Tuesday’s statement says the high collision volume reported at intersections is contributed by different speeds at which pedestrians, cyclists and motorists converge.

“Preventable intersection collisions are largely due to driver error, including driving too fast for weather conditions, making an improper left turn, failing to stop at a stop sign or disobeying a traffic signal,” states the release. “Each and every Alberta driver has a responsibility to ensure our roads are safe for everyone.”

Between 2018 and 2022 the average fatality rate for collisions at intersections was 42 people annually, and more than 96 per cent of those intersection collisions occurred in urban areas.

The province says about 80 per cent of all collisions on provincial roads involve some form of driver error.